Arcade game for stacking directed playing pieces

Abstract

A game method and apparatus includes a playing surface having a player end and a target end and a target provided at the target end. The target includes a channel on a planar target surface that is inclined and receives multiple playing pieces, such as balls, rolled across the playing surface by the player. The channel receives balls in a known configuration, such as a linear stack, such that each additional ball is directed to the channel with greater difficulty by the player due to the presence of previously-directed balls in the stack and rests on the ball immediately preceding it. The channel includes parallel rails for aligning the balls and for preventing the balls from touching the target surface. An aperture collects balls that are not received by the channel and routes the balls to the player. A release device releases the balls from the channel and into the collector. A game score and optional progressive score are based on the positions of balls in the channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A game apparatus providing a game, said game apparatus comprising: a playing surface having a player end and a target end;   a target provided near said target end of said playing surface, said target being operative to simultaneously engage a plurality of playing pieces directed from said player end to said target end by said player during said game, said target receiving said playing pieces in a predetermined configuration that causes each additional playing piece to be engaged with said target with greater difficulty by said player due to the presence of previously-directed playing pieces engaged with said target; and   a detection device provided at said target, wherein said detection device detects the number of said directed playing pieces engaged with said target.   
     
     
       2. A game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said target is receptive to a predetermined number of playing pieces such that when said detection device detects that said predetermined number of playing pieces have been engaged with said target, said game is automatically ended and said target is cleared of said playing pieces. 
     
     
       3. A game apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said target is at least partially vertically aligned such that said playing pieces are caused to be stacked on each other due to the influence of gravity when engaged with said target. 
     
     
       4. A game apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said target includes a channel having two parallel rails for aligning said playing pieces in said stacked configuration, said parallel guides supporting engaged playing pieces over a target surface that supports said guides such that said playing pieces engaged with said target do not contact said target surface. 
     
     
       5. A game apparatus as recited in claim 3 further comprising a ramp that causes said directed playing pieces to move off said playing surface in a direction against said influence of gravity approximately over at least a portion of said target before engaging said target in said stacked configuration. 
     
     
       6. A game apparatus as recited in claim 3 further comprising indicators operative to indicate to said player positions of said target where said playing pieces may engage said target. 
     
     
       7. A game apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a return mechanism operative to return said playing pieces to said player end after said playing pieces have been directed by said player. 
     
     
       8. A game apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said return mechanism includes an aperture in said target into which said playing pieces may fall when said playing pieces do not engage said target and when said playing pieces are released from said target. 
     
     
       9. A game apparatus as recited in claim 7 further comprising a release device operative to release said playing pieces from said target and into said return mechanism when a predetermined number of playing pieces has been engaged with said target. 
     
     
       10. A game apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein said playing pieces are automatically released into a collector by said release device at a beginning of a next game played on said game apparatus. 
     
     
       11. A game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said detection device includes a plurality of sensors, each of said sensors provided at a position on said target where a playing piece may engage said target. 
     
     
       12. A game apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said playing pieces are substantially spherical, and wherein said ramp is positioned such that it vaults said playing pieces off said playing surface and into the air such that said playing pieces impact either said target or a target surface that supports said target, wherein said playing pieces roll into a collection aperture after said impact when impacting said target surface. 
     
     
       13. A game apparatus as recited in claim 11 further comprising a digital controller operative to control operations of said game apparatus. 
     
     
       14. A game apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said target includes a channel for receiving said pieces in said predetermined configuration, wherein said channel is blocked at a top of said channel to prevent playing pieces from rolling into said channel after impacting said target surface. 
     
     
       15. A game apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a scoring apparatus for accumulating a game score based on said playing pieces engaged with said target and a progressive score, said progressive score being accumulated over at least one previous game played on said game apparatus. 
     
     
       16. A game apparatus comprising: a playing surface having a player end and a target end;   a target provided at said target end of said playing surface, said target being receptive to a plurality of playing pieces directed by a player on said playing surface from said platter end to said target end, wherein said target includes a guide which supports said playing pieces above said playing surface at said target end such that said playing pieces engage said target without touching said playing surface at said target end, and wherein playing pieces received by said target are displayed to said player as engaged with said target and arranged in a predetermined configuration; and   a collector provided at said target end and receptive to said plurality of playing pieces that are not received by said target, wherein playing pieces received by said collector are not displayed to said player.   
     
     
       17. A game apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said playing pieces are balls. 
     
     
       18. A game apparatus as recited in claim 17 further comprising a ball return that is coupled to said collector. 
     
     
       19. A game apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein said collector includes an aperture provided in a surface at said target end, wherein said aperture guides playing pieces to said ball return and said ball return guides said playing pieces to said player end of said playing surface. 
     
     
       20. A game apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said target and said collector are provided on a planar target surface provided at said target end, and wherein said guide includes a plurality of linear guides provided on said planar target surface wherein said playing pieces engage said linear guides in a linear configuration. 
     
     
       21. A game apparatus as recited in claim 20 wherein said planar target surface is tilted and wherein said linear guides are arranged such that said playing pieces engaged with said linear guides are caused to be stacked on each other due to the influence of gravity when engaged with said target. 
     
     
       22. A game apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein said playing surface includes a ramp for causing said directed playing pieces to move in a direction against said influence of gravity to allow said playing pieces to engage said guides in a stacked configuration. 
     
     
       23. A game apparatus as recited in claim 16 further comprising a release device operative to release said playing pieces from said target and into said collector when a predetermined number of playing pieces has been engaged with said target. 
     
     
       24. A game apparatus as recited in claim 23 further comprising a playing piece sensor coupled to said target operative to sense the number of playing pieces engaged with said target. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus for playing a game, the apparatus comprising: target means for simultaneously engaging a plurality of playing pieces directed by a player, said target means receiving said playing pieces in a plurality of positions in a predetermined linear configuration that is displayed to said player and that causes said player to engage each additional playing piece with said target means with greater difficulty due to the presence of previously-directed playing pieces engaged with said target means;   means for directing said plurality of playing pieces from said player to said target means;   means for sensing said playing pieces engaged with said target at each of said positions of said target means;   means for determining when a game is over so that no additional playing pieces are sensed at said target means during said game; and   means for returning said directed playing pieces to said player.   
     
     
       26. An apparatus as recited in claim 25 wherein said means for returning said directed playing pieces includes: means for automatically releasing said playing pieces engaged with said target means after said game is over; and   an aperture operative to receive said playing pieces that are released from said target means and said playing pieces that do not engage said target means, and operative to return said playing pieces received in said aperture to said player.   
     
     
       27. An apparatus as recited in claim 26 further comprising: means for receiving monetary input to said apparatus;   means for adjusting a game score in accordance with a number of playing pieces engaged with said target; and   means for dispensing a number of tickets based upon said game score.   
     
     
       28. A method for implementing a game, comprising: providing a playing surface and a target at one end of said playing surface;   receiving a first ball on said playing surface, said first ball being directed by a player towards said target;   receiving said first ball at said target in a first position of said target if said first ball has a requisite trajectory, wherein said first ball remains engaged with said target and is observable by said player;   detecting said first ball at said first position with a first sensor device when said first ball is engaged with said target;   receiving a second ball on said playing surface, said second ball being directed by said player towards said target;   receiving said second ball at said target in a second position of said target and engaged with said first ball if said second ball has a requisite trajectory; and   detecting said second ball at said second position with a second sensor device when said second ball is engaged with said target.   
     
     
       29. A method as recited in claim 28 wherein said target receives said first ball and said second ball on a linear guide such that said first and second balls do not touch a surface supporting said linear guide when engaged with said target. 
     
     
       30. A method as recited in claim 28 wherein said first and second balls are directed against the influence of gravity off of a raised end of said playing surface such that said balls may land on said target, wherein said requisite trajectories of said first ball and said second ball after said balls leave said raised end of said playing surface are dependent on a speed and trajectory of said ball on said playing surface. 
     
     
       31. A method as recited in claim 28 further comprising collecting balls not having said requisite trajectory and said balls engaged with said target, and detecting with a sensing apparatus whether a predetermined number balls in a game have been directed by a player. 
     
     
       32. A method as recited in claim 30 wherein said balls are arranged in a linear stacked configuration within a channel on said target. 
     
     
       33. A method as recited in claim 28 further comprising receiving a plurality of additional balls directed by said player on said target such that said first ball, second ball, and additional balls are arranged in said linear stacked configuration. 
     
     
       34. A method as recited in claim 33 further comprising releasing said balls from said target if a predetermined number of balls are engaged with said target. 
     
     
       35. A method as recited in claim 34 further comprising receiving monetary input to begin a game, and releasing balls directed from a previous game from said target after said monetary input is received. 
     
     
       36. A method as recited in claim 33 further comprising providing a game score based on said number of balls received by said target. 
     
     
       37. A method as recited in claim 36 further comprising contributing to a progressive score and adding said progressive score to said game score when said player achieves a progressive goal, wherein said progressive goal includes engaging a predetermined number of balls in said stacked configuration on said target. 
     
     
       38. A game apparatus comprising: a playing surface having a player end and a target end;   a target provided at said target end of said playing surface, said target being operative to simultaneously engage a plurality of playing pieces directed from said player end to said target end by a player, said target receiving said playing pieces in a predetermined configuration that causes each additional playing piece to be engaged with said target with greater difficulty by said player due to the presence of previously-directed playing pieces engaged with said target; and   a plurality of sensors, each of said sensors provided at a corresponding position on said target where a playing piece may engage said target, said sensors detecting a presence of a playing piece engaged with said target at said corresponding position.   
     
     
       39. A game apparatus as recited in claim 38 wherein said target includes a channel having two parallel rails for aligning said playing pieces in a stacked configuration, wherein said parallel rails support said playing pieces above said playing surface. 
     
     
       40. A game apparatus as recited in claim 39 wherein said playing surface includes a ramp that causes said directed playing pieces to move in a direction against said influence of gravity to engage said target in said stacked configuration. 
     
     
       41. A game apparatus as recited in claim 38 further comprising a return mechanism operative to return said playing pieces to said player end after said playing pieces have been directed by said player, wherein said return mechanism includes an aperture in said target into which said playing pieces may fall. 
     
     
       42. A game apparatus as recited in claim 38 further comprising a scoring device for determining a game score based on positions of said target engaged by said playing pieces, wherein positions which are engaged with greater difficulty contribute a greater amount to said game score. 
     
     
       43. A game apparatus comprising: a playing surface having a player end and a target end;   a target provided at said target end of said playing surface, said target being receptive to a plurality of playing pieces directed by a player on said playing surface from said player end to said target end, wherein said target includes a plurality of linear guides which support said playing pieces above said playing surface at said target end such that said playing pieces engage said target without contacting said playing surface at said target end, and wherein playing pieces received by said target are displayed to said player as engaged with said target and arranged in a linear configuration.   
     
     
       44. A game apparatus as recited in claim 43 further comprising a collector provided at said target end and receptive to said plurality of playing pieces that are not received by said target, wherein playing pieces received by said collector are not displayed to said player. 
     
     
       45. A game apparatus as recited in claim 44 further comprising linear gutter rails positioned approximately parallel to said linear guides and receiving playing pieces that do not engage said target, said gutter rails preventing said playing pieces from contacing said playing surface at said target end and guiding said playing pieces to said collector. 
     
     
       46. A game apparatus as recited in claim 45 wherein said playing surface is planar at said target end, wherein said planar target end is tilted and wherein said linear guides are arranged such that said playing pieces engaged with said linear guides are caused to be stacked on each other due to the influence of gravity when engaged with said target. 
     
     
       47. A game apparatus as recited in claim 46 wherein said playing surface includes a ramp for causing said directed playing pieces to move in a direction against said influence of gravity when directed towards said target by said player to allow said playing pieces to engage said guides in a stacked configuration. 
     
     
       48. A method for implementing a game, comprising: providing a playing surface and a target at one end of said playing surface;   receiving a first ball on said playing surface, said first ball being directed by a player towards said target;   receiving said first ball on a linear guide of said target if said first ball has a requisite trajectory, wherein said first ball remains engaged with said target and is observable by said player and wherein said first ball does not touch a surface supporting said linear guide when engaged with said target;   receiving a second ball on said playing surface, said second ball being directed by said player towards said target; and   receiving said second ball on a linear guide of said target and engaged with said first ball if said second ball has a requisite trajectory, wherein said second ball remains engaged with said target and is observable by said player, and wherein said second ball does not touch a surface supporting said linear guide when engaged with said target.   
     
     
       49. A game apparatus comprising: a playing surface having a player end and a target end;   a ramp provided at said target end of said playing surface, said ramp causing a playing piece directed from said player end to said target end to move off said playing surface in a direction against said influence of gravity; and   a target provided near said target end of said playing surface, said target receiving said playing piece that has moved off said playing surface, said target being operative to simultaneously engage a plurality of playing pieces directed from said player end to said target end by a player, said target receiving said playing pieces in a predetermined configuration that causes each additional playing piece to be engaged with said target with greater difficulty by said player due to the presence of previously-directed playing pieces engaged with said target, wherein each additional playing piece engaged with said target contacts one previously directed playing piece engaged with said target.